Makoto and Naoki had been following the man for about 10 minutes now. He had been leading them through tight corridor after tight corridor as it seemed like they were traveling through the very walls of the school. A mildewy smell permeated through the air, and the floor creaked with almost every step. As they continued along, they swore they heard the growl of that creature again, just waiting for them to come back out

Makoto was the first to speak. "So...who are you exactly?"

The man stopped and turned around. "Oh, sorry about that...I was so caught up in the moment I forgot my manners. My name is Haruki Goda, I'm a..."resident" of this school."

Naoki's eyes lit up. "Wait, Haruki Goda? Weren't you like the Head Researcher at Konahana Island?"

Goda laughed. "Technically I shared that title with my colleague, Dr. Yamato. But yes, I was stationed here at Konahana."

Makoto looked at him in a new light. "Then...do you know what happened here?"

Goda frowned. "I think a good look around would tell you all you need to know. I did all I could...I got those two kids out and that's what's important. Anyway, let's continue."

The two boys nodded and continued following him. Eventually, after going up another maintenance ladder, they reached their destination. It appeared to be a small living space built into the foundation of the school. There was a wall filled with computer monitors and a similar wall of buttons underneath it. There was a small place to sit, and a desk to obviously take notes.

The monitors themselves appeared to be connected to the school's security system. Naoki was honestly amazed it still worked, since it seemed like all the electricity of the place was gone. As they looked over the screens, one caught Naoki's interest due to s small shimmer of blue light he saw for a second before it vanished. He swore it looked like a person.

There was a small room off to the right that had 5 beds set up in it. Also in the room was a small storage unit that Goda opened to reveal some food and water inside. Makoto and Naoki didn't realize how thirsty they were until they saw the water. They each took a bottle and began to drink leisurely.

Goda laughed slightly. "It's good to see you both are still in one piece."

Makoto finished a gulp then responded. "Well it's thanks to you there. If you wouldn't of found us, that creature would have gotten us."

Goda nodded. "Yes. Those creatures are called Shadow Stalkers."

Naoki looked at him. "Shadow Stalkers? I can see where they get the name. But Goda, I would like to ask you a question." Goda raised a curious brow. "How can we trust you. I know I should be more trusting, but considering your involvement with the Konahana incident, I can't be too sure. You've been here by yourself a long time, you could have gone insane by now."

Goda laughed an innocent laugh again. "I can understand your concern. But I believe that I can certainly vouch for myself. Or, I think Philemon can." Goda raised his hand and a faint blue glow seemed to come from a mark that appeared on his hand.

It consisted of a few strange looking symbols, but the most prominent was the mask they had seen the man named Philemon wear. Naoki looked shocked. "Wait...you know Philemon?"

As Goda nodded, the two boy's hands also began to glow very similarly. "You both are protected by Philemon's grace. If he chose you, there must be a reason."

Makoto looked confused. "What do you mean?"

Goda sat back in the chair. "Philemon is a being that is in essence, the manifestation of order in the world. His opposite, Nyarlathrotep, is the creator of this place."

Naoki scratched the back of his head. "Ummm, can you run that by me again?"

Goda smiled. "All you need to worry about is getting you both out of here. Though I will warn you, as long as you carry those marks, you will always be a target."

Makoto nodded. "Alright...can you just get us out of here?"

Goda turned to Makoto. "Well you're most certainly anxious. Alright. I'll get you both out of here." He stood up and walked away for a moment. As he returned, he was holding a small golden key. "This key is the way out."

Makoto looked unconvinced. "And why's that?"

Goda pointed at a diagram of the school that was pinned to the wall. "This school is divided into 5 floors. The only way out is through the roof, as the front door doesn't work anymore. This is the key to that door. However, Nyarlathrotep is a fickle being. Whenever this key is used, it vanishes and appears somewhere else in the school."

Naoki frowned. "So once we use it, unless we go through the door, we're trapped."

Goda nodded. "Precisely. Good luck. If you take the stairs up through here, you'll come out right where you need to." The boys nodded and head off.

Makoto laughed a little bit. "I told you that attitude would come back to bite ya. If the guy is good with Philemon that must mean something right?" They both stopped as they both remembered their dream, and had an immediate understanding of it to be the truth.

"Philemon...." Naoki kept walking forward. "We don't know much about him either. He could be just as dangerous as whoever this Nyarlathrotep is."

Makoto sighed and kept walking. "Let's just put our faith in the guy for now and move on, alright?" Naoki agreed, and they continued onward.

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They came out into a small white room that looked rather pristine considering the environment. They blinked slightly as there was actual light in this room. They noticed a small door at the other end, and an open corridor at the entrance.

Makoto stepped towards the door and pulled out the key. "Well, guess this is where we exit." He reached forward and put the key in the lock. As the lock turned, a shrill shriek sounded and completely caught them off guard. "Gah!!"

The door flung open, but suddenly the room was covered in a dark mist as the lights completely broke. Walking in from the corridor, and seemingly the source of the mist was a man. He appeared to be wearing a jet black suit and red tie. He had equally black hair with a white streak down the middle. His eyes appeared slightly crazed, and were a deep red. "Well well, what do we have here. Two pets trying to escape..."

Naoki turned and faced the man. "Who...are you?"

Makoto turned towards the door, then to Naoki. "Naoki, we have to leave!"

The man laughed. "I suppose I can give you that. I am known as Nyarlathrotep. Pleasure to meet you Naoki. And you too Makoto."

Makoto stopped. "You know our names?"

He nodded. "I know the names of everyone who enters my domain. Every rat trapped in my net." He walked forward and sighed. "And I enjoy every second of their suffering."

Makoto stared at the man with a new found hatred. "So....are you the one who brought Saki here?"

The man looked inquisitively at Makoto. "What's this? You were close to one of them? Oh this is just rich! If your friend disappeared and subsequently ended up dead, then yes she was here."

Makoto charged forward and attempted to hit the man with a right hook. "You bastard! I'll kill you!"

Nyarlathrotep smiled and grabbed his fist. "That's rather cute. You think you can beat me. Allow me to show you the error of your ways." Suddenly, an earthquake shocked through the room. The floor beneath them collapsed. Naoki and Makoto found themselves falling while Nyarlathrotep remained at the top laughing maniacally.

"Oh and try not to die down there. For you see...if you die in this realm, your soul will remain forever trapped. Experiencing the pain and fear of your death over and over again for all eternity. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"

They fell for a long time, and Naoki could feel his life flashing before his eyes. They just kept falling, and falling. Naoki could see the spikes coming on. In a few moments they would be dead. "Is this truly where I die?"

He felt a voice call out to him. "This is not the day of your defeat....you must live!" Suddenly, a blue butterfly materialized by them, and a small sphere of energy surrounded them and stopped them from falling. Naoki blinked and saw Philemon in his mind's eye.

"You must live on this day. Nyarlathrotep must be stopped!" Suddenly, as they were inches away from the spikes, they shot back up the hole. Nyarlathrotep's frown disappeared as he saw them fly through the doorway right before it closed.

"It does not matter what you do Philemon. Soon, all your servants will be dead....or become mine..." As the floor rematerialized, a girl came walking into the room. She had medium length brown hair tied into two buns on the side of her head, and deep green eyes. Nyarlathrotep turned to her with a smile. "Saki...my dear....dear...sweet Saki. You will prove most valuable in breaking that Makoto boy."

As the key dropped from the lock and vanished, all Nyarlathrotep could do was laugh into the echoing hallways...waiting until his time would come to crush his enemies.